The Dallas Stars fired coach Peter DeBoer on Friday, one week after they lost in the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive year — this time to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. DeBoer led the Stars to the NHL’s final four in each of his three seasons after being hired on June 21, 2022.
Believe it or not, DeBoer was the eighth longest-tenured coach in the NHL before the Stars let him go.
With Dallas announcing its coaching change, Mike Sullivan’s leaving Pittsburgh last month after 11 seasons to coach the New York Rangers, and John Torterella being let go by the Flyers in March, here’s a list of the longest-tenured coaches still employed in the NHL.
1. Jon Cooper – Tampa Bay Lightning (March 25, 2013)
Jon Cooper is the longest-tenured coach in the NHL — and it’s not even close. “Coop” has been behind the bench for the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2013, leading the team for 13 seasons, or 961 games (regular season). He’s built a Hall of Fame resume during that stretch by winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and 2022, and making the playoffs in 12 of 13 seasons. Even with Tampa’s early exit in each of the past three seasons, Cooper’s 88-67 postseason record speaks for itself.
2. Jared Bednar – Colorado Avalanche (Aug. 25, 2016)
Jared Bednar moves up to the second-longest tenured coach in the NHL with Mike Sullivan move from Pittsburgh to the Rangers.
He’s been behind the bench for Colorado since 2016, winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 and guiding the team to a record of 390-246-64 in 700 games coached. The Avs lost to Dallas in Game 7 of the first round this year, but Bednar’s leadership has kept them in the contenders’ conversation year in and year out.
3. Rod Brind’Amour – Carolina Hurricanes (May 8, 2018)
Rod Brind’Amour ranks as the third-longest tenured coach in the league, having taken over his former team in May 2018. Since the, he’s built a complete and competitive squad and has a regular-season record of 325-160-49. Carolina has made the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past five seasons under Brind’Amour, the captain of its 2006 Stanley Cup-winning team. The ‘Canes advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in 2023 and 2025, losing to the Florida Panthers each time
4. Andre Tourigny – Arizona Coyotes/Utah Mammoth (July 1, 2021)
Fourth on the list is Andre Tourigny, who’s stayed in place through the franchise’s transition from Arizona to Utah. The Coyotes hired him in July 2021, and he kept his job as the franchise was sold and relocated. While his record in Arizona was nothing to brag about at 89-131-26 with no playoff appearances, Utah was 38-31-13 this season and has plenty of young talent.
5. Martin St. Louis – Montreal Canadiens (Feb. 9, 2022)
Martin St. Louis sits fifth on the tenure list among active coaching. The Canadiens hired the Hockey Hall of Famer in February 2022, and he’s been at the center of Montreal’s rebuild. His record since joining the team is 115-131-37, but the Canadiens were 40-31-11 during the 2024-25 season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2021 under St. Louis’ watch.
6. Bruce Cassidy – Vegas Golden Knights (June 14, 2022)
Bruce Cassidy won the Jack Adams Award with the Boston Bruins in 2020, one year after leading them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. But the Bruins fired him on June 6, 2022, and the Golden Knights snapped him up eight days later. He made an instant impact, leading the NHL’s newest team to the Stanley Cup in his first season behind the bench. Cassidy has a 146-73-27 record in three seasons with Vegas, as well as a 24-16 mark in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
7. Paul Maurice – Florida Panthers (June 22, 2022)
Paul Maurice has completely changed the trajectory of the Florida Panthers in his three seasons behind the bench. He led them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, although they lost to Vegas, then did it again last season, when Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games for their first championship since entering the NHL in 1993. The Panthers and Oilers are back in the Final this year, with Florida looking to repeat as champion. Maurice, whose 916 wins are third all-time among NHL coaches, has led the Panthers to a 141-87-18 regular-season record and a 41-22 mark in the playoffs.
Related: Panthers aim to earn place among all-time best NHL teams by repeating as Stanley Cup champions
8. Spencer Carbery – Washington Capitals (May 30, 2023)
Spencer Carbery was hired in May 2023. He took over a team many thought was ready for a rebuild and led the Capitals to the playoffs in 2023-24, then guided them to the Metropolitan Division title and the second-best record in the NHL this season. Although they were swept in the first round by the Rangers last season and lost in five games in the second round to Carolina in 2024-25, the Capitals have made major progress under Carbery. He has a 91-53-20 record in the regular season but is just 5-9 in the postseason.
9. Andrew Brunette – Nashville Predators (May 31, 2023)
The Predators are 77-74-13 record in their two seasons under Brunette. This season was a dud (30-44-8, seventh in the Central Division) and a major disappointment after the Preds spent big money on free agency last summer. Brunette’s offensive-style mindset led the Predators on a second-half surge and a trip to the postseason with a 47-30-5 record last season. But he took a lot of heat for his team’s poor performance in 2024-25.
10. Ryan Huska – Calgary Flames (June 12, 2023)
The Flames hired Huska as their coach on June 12, 2023, after he spent five years as an assistant. Huska has focused on developing his young players and shifting the culture within the organization. Calgary is 79-69-20 in two seasons and has yet to make the playoffs under Huska, although the Flames (41-27-14, 96 points) missed out on the final berth in the Western Conference this season on a tiebreaker.
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